Luger dies at Olympics.

[ChgrSteve67]

http://www.comcast.net/Olympics/story.asp?i=20100212182166075823008&ref=rec&tm=&src=DOLY

Not a way anyone wants to see the Olympics start.

CBS has video of the incident. I'm not going to link to it because its tough to watch. There are also some pictures that show medical personnel working on him after the hit.
If you want to see it its not hard to find with a google search.

I guess some of the top Luger's are having problem with one part of the course and there are some steel poles next to the track.
Well lets just say he left the track probably doing 50+ and was stopped suddenly by one of the poles.

RIP dude.

[FLG]

Such a shame 

I just dont get how they did not see something like this before hand?? At least now it may save another persons life...but not before this happened.

I saw the video along with some pictures, those are some thick metal poles. All it would have taken was some padding or even a higher wall to avoid something like this.

Apparently the track is one of the fastest and (if its not clear already) the most dangerous. The people in the Olympics have some major skills, but maybe a track of this magnitude is just a bit much?

[69bronzeT5]

I heard about that on the news this morning. The trucking company my grandpa works for (he's the mechanic), they were the ones hauling all the steel structure for the luge track. The degree they made on some of those corners was just crazy!

[resq302]

I heard about that on the news this morning. The trucking company my grandpa works for (he's the mechanic), they were the ones hauling all the steel structure for the luge track. The degree they made on some of those corners was just crazy!

Whats more crazy?  Putting a metal pole in that location or being the person going down a curvy track over 60 mph with just a helmet?  Better yet, why don't you just tie a rope to the back of a car and attach it to your old wooden and metal flexible flyer sled!  I can see doing it in a bobsled cause you have some kind of protection on the sides of you.  I swear the luge must mean suicide in some language.

[69bronzeT5]

The location of those poles was definitley in the WRONG place. Mistake on the designers part for sure.

[elacruze]

Whats more crazy?  Putting a metal pole in that location or being the person going down a curvy track over 60 mph with just a helmet?  Better yet, why don't you just tie a rope to the back of a car and attach it to your old wooden and metal flexible flyer sled!  I can see doing it in a bobsled cause you have some kind of protection on the sides of you.  I swear the luge must mean suicide in some language.

It's called "Sport".

More people have died climbing Mt. Everest than Luging in the Olympics. Or anywhere else, for that matter.

It's plain to see that whoever is responsible for safety on that track had an epic fail.

[Mike DC]

 
If you go see Evel Kinevel jump 20 school busses, you're purposely paying to watch a guy take a stupid risk.  But the average viewer of the Olympics is not signing up for that stuff.   




Those poles should never have been next to the luge track like that. 

I don't expect the trackbuilders to have nerfed everything within earshot of the track, but that risk was obvious.  That spot was coming right out of a super-fast corner.  Stupid.

           

[NorwayCharger]

Yeah, it seem´s like a "death run" with those poles

http://www.dagbladet.no/2010/02/12/sport/ol_i_vancouver/aking/ulykke/10369092/

[tan top]

 thats sad !  stupid desgin  ! who ever left them poles exposed

[Charger1973]

Yeah the layout of the track looks pretty bad.  I don't watch this stuff myself, so I am not sure what it is supposed to look like but that looks ridiculously unsafe.  Its unfortunate for the guy, but they know the risks of sliding down a racetrack of ice on your back in tights at 100mph.

[chargergirl]

The athletes had stated there needed to more of a wood "lip" on that curve in particular or they would run the risk of doing exactly what happened there. All it would have taken is to block the view a bit with the wood and this man would probably still be with us.

[hemi68charger]

Saw footage last night and it was one of the most horrific things I have ever seen..... This poor young man, I hope to GOD he was either knocked out or died instantly. The impact on that pole at over 80 mph directly, on what appears to be, on his spine/neck area, it surely had to snap.... It's such a depressing feeling....  God Bless him and give continued support to his parents....

Troy

[ChgrSteve67]

They said today that even thought they don't feel the track is at fault they are going to make changes to the ice and increase the height of the wall at that section of track.

Another comentator was saying that he feels this track is way too fast for the younger and less experienced lugers.
Expect more crashes.

[TruckDriver]

Between the NBC nightly news and the local news on NBC, I saw the replay 5 times. And I hope to never see it again. I understand the ratings thing for tv stations. But this should of never been shown as there was really no need for it. This was something you go find the movie series "Faces Of Death" for. I have seen 2 people die in front of me in person, and after the third time seeing the video, it started to get to me. You can just imagine how his family will feel if they see it on tv. Very sad to see.

[stripedelete]

Between the NBC nightly news and the local news on NBC, I saw the replay 5 times. And I hope to never see it again. I understand the ratings thing for tv stations. But this should of never been shown as there was really no need for it. This was something you go find the movie series "Faces Of Death" for. I have seen 2 people die in front of me in person, and after the third time seeing the video, it started to get to me. You can just imagine how his family will feel if they see it on tv. Very sad to see.

But the same networks won't show the ugly 9/11 video, which IMO should be run 24 hours every 9/11. 

Deepest sympathy to family.

[Mike DC]

But the same networks won't show the ugly 9/11 video, which IMO should be run 24 hours every 9/11.

Yeah, but the 9/11 footage is always gonna piss somebody off no matter what the networks do. 


 
Don't run the 9/11 footage, and people will complain that the networks are trying to keep attention away from those events for political reasons.  

But if they run the footage, then other people (and sometimes even the same people) will complain that the networks are callously profiting off the victims' tragic deaths and the national trauma.  

 

[FLG]

Just heard on the news, they said it was NOT the tracks fault, was the athletes.

Athletes make mistakes, so that means the metal pole that was right next to that turn, which was un protected...was NOT a problem?? Why did they make changes than?

Its like having some kind of unsafe obstacle at a racing event, driver looses control and hits it, gets badly injured or dies because of it...and they blame the driver for crashing into that object.

Ridiculous!!

[greatwn73]

When you throw a human body at 50mph plus into a immovable object padded or otherwise.....................................I'm sure if the metal pole didn't have to be there it wouldn't have.

[Silver R/T]

pretty dumb sport if you ask me

[FLG]

When you throw a human body at 50mph plus into a immovable object padded or otherwise.....................................I'm sure if the metal pole didn't have to be there it wouldn't have.

Id still rather go into a padded pole. I agree, the pole is there for a reason id assume...but why not just build the wall higher??

[chargergirl]

 You can just imagine how his family will feel if they see it on tv. Very sad to see.
[/quote]
I almost lost my son twice...I can still only imagine what UNDUE anguish this family goes through time and time and time again. We won't watch it on the news...we say a prayer for the family and the child...each time.

[Ghoste]

pretty dumb sport if you ask me

A lot of people say that about drag racing too.  Hell motorsports in general.

[chargergirl]

pretty dumb sport if you ask me

A lot of people say that about drag racing too.  Hell motorsports in general.

At least when something is wrong in motorsports they fix it...they are all working to make the sport safer...EVERYONE makes mistakes...gliche on the track whether it's speedway or ice can make that mistake for you.

[Ghoste]

I'm more commenting to the fact about calling anyones choice of sport "dumb".  I don't follow luge nor do I fancy ever taking it up but I've had enogh people look down on me for drag racing that I hesitate to throw stones at someone else's choice.  I don't understand a lot of so called sports but apparently a lot of people don't understand mine either.